Adequate security deployed for fair counting: EC Chief

The Chief Election Commissioner of India, Om Prakash Rawat, on Tuesday, gave reassurances over questions pertaining to security arrangements at the various counting centers in Karnataka.

Rawat said that security has been beefed up across the state, with the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) being deployed in strong rooms to ensure fair counting of votes.

"We have deployed CAPF in strong rooms, adequate security personnel presence will be there at all counting centers to ensure law and order is maintained," Rawat said.

Polling in the state for 222 out of the 224 assemblies took place on Saturday, May 12 with all eyes now fixed on the results, which will be declared later today and will most likely give an edge to the winning party in the 2019 General Elections.

In order to ensure free and fair counting of votes, 50,000 Police personnel have been deployed across Karnataka, with 11000 men, including one Rapid Action Force company and 20 KSRP companies posted across Bengaluru alone.

Additionally, barricades will not allow the public any closer than 500 meters from the counting centers. The Police have also banned celebrations, processions and bursting of crackers around the 38 counting centers in the state.

Elections in two constituencies, Jayanagar and Raja Rajeshwari Nagar, both in Bengaluru District, were postponed earlier.

A total of 2,654 candidates, including 216 women candidates, are in the fray for the election, which is being looked at as a gateway into the South for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The Karnataka Assembly has 224 seats and a party or an alliance needs 112-seats to stake a claim to form the government.